D'Yer Wall
The D'Yer wall was built by the D'Yer clan during the First Age and after the Long War. It is a magical wall intended to keep out the creatures of Blackveil Forest that are tainted by the dark magic of Mornhavon the Black. It also imprisons the spirit of Mornhavon so his taint cannot spread. For a thousand years the D'Yer Wall stood intact, until Shawdell the Eletian used his dark magic to crack the wall. Eventually the cracks spread and a section of the wall collapsed, allowing wild magic and the creatures on the other side to break free. This collasped section is commonly called "the breach". Description The D'Yer wall stretches from Ullem Bay to the eastern coast of Sacoridia, separating what was once the peninsula of Argenthyne from D'Yer province. It is thick enough to comfortably stand atop, and although it is only ten feet tall magical shields extend beyond the physical top of the wall so that it appears to extend into the very heavens. Although vegetation will grow rig up to the wall on the Sacoridian side unless pruned by wall keepers, on the Blackveil side the wall appears to repel vegetation and there is a broad band of bare earth between the wall and the margin of the forest. The wall is made from pinkish granite blocks, which appear as brig and unweathered as though freshly quarried despite the Wall's thousand year age. By contrast, the year-old stone of the repair work in the breach has oxidized and gathered lichen, making it appear older than the 'healthy' parts of the wall. The wall is guarded along its length by ten towers. These towers are without doors or windows, but may be entered from either side by certain individuals. And thus provide a passage through the wall if necessary. The interiors of each tower contain a living chamber with hearth, table and chair, and a basin with a magically water-spouting fish shaped faucet. In the center of each chamber is a short plinth with an oval tourmaline atop it, called a tempes stone. This pedestal is n itself surrounded by a ring of columns. When a visitor passes through the ring of columns, their surroundings appear to transform to an outdoor scene that conforms to the name of the particular tower. This landscape seems to extend endlessly in all directions, although the columns and tempes stone remain, along with a circle of stone floor tiles. These scenes are very realistic, changing with the seasons and time of day, and even include the sounds of animals. Some towers appear to mimic the hour and season of the outside world, while others are offset in time or season. For example, Tower of Ice is offset by twelve hours, while another Tower appears to be in autumn while it is spring in the outside world. Each chamber also features a pair of archways, in line with the run of the wall, which allow one to temporarily merge mentally with the wall and communicate with the wall guardians. The Mage Projections that reside in each tower appear to be able to travel between towers by passing through the wall itself. In addition to the main chamber, each tower is said to also contain an observation platform, although it is not known how this might be accessed. Passage through the Towers Various groups were allowed passage through the Towers. * Eletians were to be allowed passage, presumably so that they could enter Argenthyne and monitor its status, and to allow any Sleepers who awakened to escape. * Green Riders were allowed entrance, presumably to carry messages to and from the corps of wall keepers or the Great Mages. * Black Shields were able to enter the Towers to monitor the Mages within. It is not known if they are still aware they they possess this privilege. * D'yers, for obvious reasons - it is, after all, their wall. * Wall Keepers, the now extinct corps of men and women who maintained the Wall between the First Age and the Clan Wars of two hundred years ago, were required entry into the towers to perform maintenance and communicate with the Great Mages. * Estral Andovian was able to enter a Tower by singing to the guardians, indicating either that members of the Fiori line were included in the list of those allowed passage, or that it is possible to ask the guardians for passage into the Tower. Another possibility is that the small amount of Eltish blood present in the Fiori line is enough to grant her passage. History The wall was built over generations, at the dawn of the first aid, using the best stonecraft possessed by the D'Yer clan, learned from the extinct K'mearn civilization. The magical component of the wall was masterminded by Theanduris Silverwood, a great Mage in the employ of King Jonaeus. The Fioris also appear to have been involved in the creation of the songs that strengthen the wall. The stone workers who built the Wall sacrificed their lives to become guardians, spirits that protect the Wall from the ravages of age and weather. Their blood is a component in every batch of mortar and has bathed every block. In addition, a great number of mages and others who could work magic either sacrificed themselves or were murdered to add their strength to the wall. There were also ten Great Mages, the last remaining members of a pacifist order from the Wingsong Mountains, who agreed to dwell one in each Tower and act as a means of communication between the Guardians and the Wall Keepers. Upon their deaths, a magical projection of each Mage continued his or her work. The Guardians Song The song that the Wall Guardians sing is as follows: From Ullem Bay to the Shores of the Dawn, we weave our song through stone and mortar; We sing our will to strengthen and bind, we shield the lands from ancient dark; We are the bulwark of the ages, we stand sentry day and night; Through storm and winter and freeze and thaw; From Ullem Bay to the Shores of Dawn, we weave our song in harmony for we are one. It is described as being very rhythmic, like the pounding of stone workers hammers. Towers and Guardians The Towers and their keepers are as follows: Tower of the Heavens - Merdigan Tower of the Ice - Itharos Tower of the Rains - Boreemadhe Tower of the Coulds - Cleodheris Tower of the Rivers - Doreleon Tower of the Valleys - Fresk Tower of the Summits - Winthorpe Tower of the Seas - Radiscar Tower of the Trees - Mad Leaf Tower of the Earth - Haurris (no longer present) Category:Locations